Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 820 1st AVE / Parcel ID 7666206631 / Inv #

Historic Name: 820 1st Ave S Common Name: 820 1st Ave S Style: Art Deco - Streamline Moderne, Commercial Neighborhood: Pioneer Square Built By: Year Built: 1920   Significance In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). The original structure dated from 1920 and featured a façade on First Avenue consisting of five vertical bays in brick with a running bond pattern, as well as double-hung windows with vertical upper lites, grouped in sets of three and four. The building appears to have been originally constructed in two parts and housed two separate wholesale establishments. To allow for the construction of a northbound on-ramp to the Alaskan Way Viaduct, a portion of the building and the original façade were removed and a new curved façade was constructed adjacent to the on-ramp in 1951. The architect for the remodel was Daniel Lamont, who worked on a number of industrial related buildings in Seattle (in Seattle’s Cascade neighborhood, for instance), but was also the third partner in the firm of Loveless, Fey and Lamont in 1940. By the 1950s, he was in the partnership of Lamont and Fey, which by 1961, had evolved into “Nickum Fey and Lamont, Industrial Engineers.” This building is considered non-contributing within the City’s portion of the Boundary Increase to the Pioneer Square Historic District.   Appearance The primary façade, now of concrete, was extensively altered in order to accommodate the construction of the adjacent Alaskan Way Viaduct on-ramp in 1951. The remodeled façade is streamline in design with dominant horizontal bands of windows, pronounced horizontal sill and head cap trim, as well as fluted window jambs.

Detail for 820 1st AVE / Parcel ID 7666206631 / Inv #

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: NR, LR Cladding(s): Concrete Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Flat with Parapet Roof Material(s): Unknown Building Type: Commercial/Trade - Business Plan: Irregular Structural System: Mixed No. of Stories: two Unit Theme(s): Commerce, Manufacturing/Industry Integrity Changes to Plan: Extensive Changes to Original Cladding: Extensive Changes to Windows: Extensive Major Bibliographic References King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972. City of Seattle, Department of Planning and Development, Microfilm Records. Krafft, Katheryn Hills, “Pioneer Square – Skid Road Historic District (Boundary Increase),” submitted 15 December, 1987 and approved 6 May, 1988.

Photo collection for 820 1st AVE / Parcel ID 7666206631 / Inv #

Photo taken Nov 27, 2004